Posted by Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe

Former BC star Davies eager to regain Cup form

By Frank Dell'Apa
Globe Staff / September 28, 2010

Charlie Davies has no memories of the Oct. 13 auto accident in which he sustained serious injuries and a passenger died. Davies did not fully realize the extent of the crash until a week later, but he still believed he could return in time to perform in the World Cup in South Africa, he recently told World Football Daily.

Davies also talked about his recovery from multiple surgeries and expressed a desire to perform in Major League Soccer with the Revolution after his European career ends. Davies, who played for the Greater Boston Bolts, Brooks School, and Boston College, has continued rehabilitating with FC Sochaux in France, but he has yet to make a first-team appearance this season.

Asked to recall the crash, which occurred on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia in the early-morning hours a day before a US World Cup qualifier in Washington, D.C., Davies told World Football Daily:

"I remember nothing because of head trauma. Only thing I remember - going out to eat with my roommate, Stuart Holden. I knew I wasn't playing Wednesday because of a groin injury I had from Honduras. I just made a bad decision and stayed out late and I paid for it.''

Davies's injuries included a broken elbow femur, fibula, and tibia; lacerated bladder; and facial fractures.

"My face, nose, and cheeks were shattered,'' Davies said in the interview. "They made an incision ear to ear and were able to pull down the skin and reconstruct all that for me.

"I woke up, I was in the hospital, I had no idea where I was. I thought I was in Honduras. I looked down and saw all these staples in my stomach. My first thing was, 'I'm in a hospital and they're stealing my organs.' I started to take out the staples. I got to the fifth one and decided to make a run for it. A nurse saw me and said, 'What are you doing?' I said: 'What am I doing here, where am I?'

"I remember being knocked out again for a couple more days. I have flashes of seeing my family and girlfriend, Gooch [Oguchi Onyewu], Robbie Rogers. I talked to Tim Howard and [coach] Bob Bradley on the phone. All these things happened pretty quickly. I didn't know what happened, but when a detective came in a week later and told me the car was split in half and a person died, that's when it really hit me.''

Davies, 24, said no alcohol or drugs were involved "on my end'' in the incident.

"I told them I wanted to know what the injuries were, the time frame, because I've got a World Cup to come back for,'' Davies said. "The funny thing is, I never had a meltdown. Of course, it's a huge shock. I couldn't believe someone sitting 6 inches in front of me died.

"I'm extremely lucky to be alive, I think that's the first thought that went through my head. Then, it's all right, I'm lucky be alive, I'm alive for a reason, let me get back to work and just be positive about everything and just make sure I'm in a good frame of mind and try and get back for World Cup. The only thing I'm thinking is I'm a fast healer, I'll be back for World Cup.''

Davies, who had scored four goals in 17 appearances for the United States, was working out in Delaware with national team trainer James Hashimoto, but he failed to recover in time for the World Cup. Bradley did not discipline Davies for breaking curfew, but they talked after Davies went to Los Angeles for a second surgery on his elbow, which had been broken and dislocated.

Recalled Davies: "He told me, 'We've got to have this talk sometime. You know you let people down, teammates, and you made a really bad mistake, and you really have to grow from it. Not many words - you went through the pain, you've got to learn from this, and I know you will.' It was a really good talk.

"He didn't think I was physically ready to compete at the international level, so he couldn't call me in. That's when it all hit me. I was very close to crumbling. Then, I said, OK, what do I have to work for? I took a week break in the Bahamas. I said, 'Let's get back for the Gold Cup next summer.' That's definitely a huge goal of mine.''

Davies performed once for the Sochaux reserve team and "had a very bad game,'' which has led to doubts about his prospects for returning.

"I think I'm able to compete,'' Davies said. "Strength? Yes. Speed? No. Am I on the right path? Yes.''

Davies played 90 minutes for the US in a 3-2 win over Honduras in San Pedro Sula Oct. 10, the result clinching a berth in the World Cup finals. The team tied Costa Rica, 2-2, in Washington Oct. 14.

As for Davies's future, he said, "I would love to play in the US. The Revolution would definitely work for me. The idea for me is very appealing to play in the United States. But it's really important for me to succeed in Europe before that.''

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.